Closure plug and method of forming same



May 12, 9 6- J. P. JESEVICH CLOSURE PLUG AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME Filed March 11, 1932 Patented May 12,1936

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chioagoJll-nlflnortoAmes-lllannfscturhag 00. be n. cor- 1m, Serial inseam 12 Ola-III- (Cl. "-1483) My invention relates toclosure plugs and-method otfon'ning same; 'and has to do particularly with a plug well adapted for closure of the openings in metallic containers suited for transporter tion and storage of oil, gasoline, and the like.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved, simple and inexpensive, yet highly eiilcient and durable, closure plug formed of sheet metal. A further'objec't is to provide a light weight plug of the foregoing character which has an externally threaded, cup-shaped body, an exterior gasket-receiving and-supporting surface, a head with a seal seat thereon and means within the body and interlocked therewith in the formation of the plug for facilitatinginsertionand removal of the plug from the opening which is adapted to close.

An additional object is to provide a novel and inexpensive method of forming the plug, the same being carried out in such a manner as to thicken the material and strengthen the completed structure sufileiently to withstand all conditions of use, notwithstanding the final threading and finishing operations thereof.

Other objects and advantages will become ap-' parent as this description progresses and by reference to the drawing wherein,

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a blank from which the bodyof the plug may be formed;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of die structure (somewhat diagrammatically shown) for initially forming the blank of Fig. 1 into a cup shape;

m Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cup formed by the dieof Fig.2; i Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a pre-formed insert adapted to be set into the cup of 3;

. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of' the cup of Fig. 3

,0 showing the insert of Fig. 4 therein; 0

' Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially on line Fig. 7 is a section taken substantially on line (I-I of Fig. 5; I, 5 Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of die structure (somewhat diagrammatically shown) for compressing and interlocking the structure of Figs.

5 to 7 inclusive;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section through the struc- 0 ture formed by the die or Fig. 8, which view is takensubstantially on line 5-9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is'an elevatlonal view partially in section,of the finished plug Generally speaking, in makinga plug in accordance with my invention I take a pre-formed cylindrieal-blank of sheet metal of desired size and form it into a cup, the. side walls of which taper slightly outward. I next take a substantially rectangularly shaped blank of sheet metal and double the same along its longitudinal'median 5 line and seat this pro-formed blank diametrically within the initially formed cup. This assembled structure is thenacted uponby a die in such a manner that the side wall of the cup is compressed in axial direction, thereby thickening the cup side 10 wall and, at the same time, causing the metal of the side wall to fiowaround and encompass the I 1 ends of the blank inserted within the cup, se-

curely embedding the. ends of this insert within the side wall of the cup and making it substantially an integral part of the formed structure. The foregoing operation gives the structure its desired height and the plug is finally completed by externally threading the foregoing structure and by shaping the upper exterior part of the strucg0 ture above the threads to provide a gasket re- ;eiving space and a head having a seal seat surace.

In the drawing I have illustrated the foregoing steps of my invention together with one form of structure which may be employed therefor. Specifically, with respect to the drawing, the

- pre-formed cylindrical sheet metal blank I5 is shaped into the form of a cup l6 (Figs. 2 and 3) by male and female die members of any suitable as and well-known form such as illustrated at H and I8, respectively. p The die members l1 and I8 are so shaped that the side wall of the cup l6 flares outwardly to a slight extent (see Fig. '7). and within this cup I insert a cross member I9. This cross member is formed from a flat, rectangularly shaped piece of sheet metal, doubled upon itself, as illustrated in Fig. 4, to provide a member of inverted U-shape in cross-section with its U-legs l9 and l9 spaced slightlyapart. 40 As will be noted in Fig. 6, the member I 9 is of such length that it seats againstthe inner wall of the cup It at a point spaced slightly from the bottom of the cup; 'however, as will be seen hereinafter, in the final forming operation, this memher I; is lowered with its bottom edge substantially seated on the bottom of the cup.

After the member It has been properlyinserted in its diametrical position within the cup it, this. assembled structure is seated within the female die member 20 of the composite die structure 2| (Fig. 8 The die member 22 is then moved downwardly in any desired manner in engageinent with the side wall of the initially formed cup "compressing the cup side wall to V bers 20 and 23. In this operation the cup side 2 V k the height or cup depth, approximately, as illustrated in Fig. 8. An inner die member 23 having a central space 24 receives, guides and supports the insert l9 during the foregoing forming operation. Upon the completion of this operation,

the cup side wall is compressed to substantially wall metal is caused to flow around the ends of and between the U-legs I 9, I 9 of the member l9, thereby embedding and fixing this member firmly, securely and non-removably therein. This action is so effective that the insert member I9 and the cup become, in effect, integral parts;

wall, the lower exterior portion of said body he wherefore, the plug structure is additionally braced and strengthened, and a strong and efficient means is provided within the plug for engagement with a suitable tool, such as the jaws of a monkey-wrench, for screwing the plug into and out of the opening which it is to close, and

this advantage is gained by an arrangement which does not add materially to the weight of the plug.

After the structure is preformed to the extent stated, its lower exterior portion is threaded in any desired manner as at 25, and its upper .ex-'

terior portion is cut away on an angle at 26 providing a. seat seal surface and defining a plug head 21. The threads 25 terminate at a point somewhat below the angled head surface 26 leaving a plane annular surface 28 which is adapted to receive a seal gasket of any suitable character.

The advantages of my invention first above stated will be obvious from the foregoing. A simple and inexpensive plug formed of sheet metalis provided for. The plug is of light weight, which is a material factor with respect to shipping expense; and it is of sufficient strength to withstand all conditions of use. For

example, among other things, a fiat bar of metal may be-substituted for-the U-section cross piece l9 with good results.

I claim:

1. A closure plug formed entirely of sheet metal comprising a cup-shapedbody, having a bottom and a relatively thicker and compacted side ing threaded and the upper exterior portion adjacent the top of said bodybein put away on an angle providing an upwardly and outwardly tapering seat and defining a head, said seat surfacebeing spaced from the top of said threaded portion by an annular gasket-receiving surface.

2. The method of forming a sheet metal 'closure plug having a cup-shaped body with its interior spanned by, a member, which comprises shaping a preformed cylindrical blank into cup form, placing a preformed sheet metal piece in the cup spanning the interior'thereof, and'compressing the side wall of the cup to thicken the cup side wall and to simultaneously interlock the opposite ends of said-sheet metal piece them with.

3. m method of forming a closure plugof the class described which comprises shaping a preformed blank of sheet metal to cup form, inserting a sheet metal piece crosswise of and within the cup, and compressing the side wall of of the finished plug, and compressing the side wall of said cup in axial direction to the height of the finished plug and uniformly thickening the side wall thereof, and finally shaping the exterior of said side wall to form a threaded surface with a head at the top. 1

5. The method of forming a closure plug of the class described which comprises shaping a preformed blank of sheet metal to a cupform having a side wall of uniform thickness and of greater height than the height of the finished plug, Compressing the side wall of said cup in axial direction to the height of the finished plug and uniformly thickening the side wall thereof, and then threading the lower outer wall of said cup.

6. The method of forming a closure plug of the class described which comprises shaping a pre-' formed blank of sheet metal to a cup form having a side wall of greater height than the height of the finished plug, compressing the side wall of said cup in axial direction to the height of the finished plug and thickening the side wall thereof, then threading the lower outer wall of said cup and cutting away the upper exterior portion of the cup at an angle to form an angular seat surface and to define a head.

7. The method of forming a closure plug' of the class described which comprises shaping a preformed blank of sheet metal to cup form, inserting a sheet metal piece preformed to shape having inverted U-shape in cross-section within the cup, and compressing the side wall of the cup in axial direction to cause the metal thereof to flow around the ends of the inserted piece and between the U-legs thereof.

8. The method of forming an all-sheet-metal closure plug which comprises the steps of preforming a piece of metal to cylindrical blank form, giving said blank a cup shape, inserting a preformed piece of sheet metal within the cup, and compressing the side wall of the cup in axial direction to reduce it to substantially the height of a the finished plug and to simultaneously interlock 'the ends of the inserted piece with the inner threaded body. and parallel to the axisof the article, and a cross member within said body and having its ends rigidly embedded within the material forming ,the inner wall of said body.

10. A closure plug formed entirely of sheet metal comprising a single-piece cup-shaped body,

a headon saidbody, a continuous annular seal seat.f.ormed exteriorly on the under side of said head and withits surface parallel to the axis of the plug, and a memberspanning the interior of said body and having its ends secured to the inner wall of said body by forming the inner wall of the 1 latter uniformly therearound' 11. A closure plug formed entirely of sheet metal comprising a cup-shaped body having a bottom and a relatively thicker and more compacted side wall, and a sheet metal member mounted within said body and of a width substantially equal to the depth of said body and of a length adapted to span the interior of said body, the opposite ends of said member being embedded in the inner side wall of said body.

12. A closure plug formed entirely of sheet metal comprising a cup-shaped body, and a member 01' inverted U-shaped cross-section mounted within said body and spanning the interior thereof, said member extending substantially from the bottom to the top of. said body and having its opposite ends fixed to said body by embedding the same in the side wall of the body.

JOHN ,P. JESEVICH. 

